In initial tests, IL-12–liposome nanoparticles eradicated tumors in about 30% of mice, and when combined with checkpoint inhibitors, efficacy rose to over 80% cures in metastatic ovarian cancer models.

The nanoparticles are liposomes with IL-12 tethered to their surface via a stable maleimide linker and coated with poly-L-glutamate to target ovarian tumor cells and ensure controlled, gradual IL-12 release over roughly a week.

This approach targets the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by simultaneously removing inhibitory brakes with checkpoint inhibitors and providing a strong signal (IL-12) to activate T cells and other immune cells.

The team intends to spin out a company to advance the technology, leveraging scalable manufacturing advances reported earlier in 2025 and supported by multiple NIH and institutional sponsors.

The study appears in Nature Materials, with lead authors Pires and senior authors Hammond and Irvine.

Funding comes from NIH, Marble Center for Nanomedicine, the Deshpande Center, the Ragon Institute, the Koch Institute, and related institutes.

Mouse models of peritoneal metastasis were used, with tumors on organs including the intestines, liver, pancreas, and lungs.

Tumor clearance occurred across peritoneal metastases, and treatment increased T cell infiltration into tumors.

Previous IL-12–liposome work had rapid payload release; the current design uses a stable linker to enable sustained release and better T cell activation.

The stable linker reduces premature release and mitigates toxicity, enabling higher local IL-12 doses with fewer systemic side effects.

Efforts toward clinical translation are being pursued through MIT’s Deshpande Center, with plans for large-scale manufacturing and potential startup collaboration.

Researchers observed substantial T cell accumulation and lasting immune memory in tumors, suggesting potential for preventing ovarian cancer recurrence after initial treatment.